Edger



Jan. 6, 1942.. H. T. CLARK 2,269,007

EDGER Filed Aug. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 CZa r 5,

INVENTOR.

without departing from Patented Jan. 6, 1942 EDGER Henry rscl msaremburg, Fla. Application August 18, .1941, SerialNo. 407,368

' f 1 Clainit V (on. 56-265) The device forming the subject matter of this application is adapted to be employed for cutting the vertical edges of lawns, and the vertical edges 7 of hedges.- It can be used, also, for cutting upper surfaces of hedges.

' The invention aims to provide a device which will be properly balanced, for cutting either vertically or horizontally, and to provide novel means for guiding the device over thetop of a hedge, whilst ahorizontal cutting is going fori i Y ward.

The' invention'ain'is to improve the construction of the cutting head, to provide novel means for actuating the cutting instrumentality and,

generally, to improve and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

' It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed,

the. spirit of. the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation wherein the opposite side of the machine from that depicted in Fig. 1 is disclosed; I

Fig. 3 is a top plan; v

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the casing, the closure plate having been removed;

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In order togive a, definite meaning to such words as front, rear, near, and far," it will 1 be presumed that th reader is viewing the device as depicted in Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a casing C, including a body I provided at its upper end with a rearwardly extended enlargement 2. Thefar side of the body I is closed by a plate 3, the body 'I having a rectangular flange 4 along its top and along its back, the plate 3- A plate 1 is disposed against the inner surface of the near wall of the body I and extends backwardly to the rear wall of the body. The plate 1 is provided with forwardly presented, fixed teeth objects in view,

2 having shoulders 8.

A rib I0 is disposed on top of the plate I, and

is attached thereto by securing elements II. Se-

curing elements I2 and I4, are located near to the ends of the rib III, to connect the rib III and the plate I with the near wall of the body I.

Retainers I5 are secured at I8 to the rib III and are oflset to form shoulders ll. A cutter bar It is mounted for reciprocation, between the rib I II and the shoulder 9, in contact with the plate I; The cutter bar I8 is supplied with forwardly presented cutting teeth I9, cooperating with the teeth 8, and mounted for reciprocation beneath the retainers It.

A shaft 20 is journaled for rotation in the oiIset 2 of the body I, and in the corresponding part of the closure plate 3. A crank arm 2| is secured to the shaft 20, within the casing or head 0. A pitman 22 is pivoted at 23 to the crank arm I. The rear ends of links 24 and 2.5 are pivoted at 26 to the pitman 22, the forward end of the link 25 being pivoted on the securing element I4, and the forward end of the link 24 being pivoted at 50 to the cutter bar It}.

An obtusely angular handle 21 is provided, and

has obtusely disposed forks 30 at its forward end, the forks being secured to the casing C. In the angle of the structure 21-30 is disposed an axle 28, on which a ground wheel 29 is journaled, the ground wheel 29 being located between'the forks 30.

A motor 3I, of any desired sort, is secured to the handle 21. The shaft of the motor 3i is provided with a pulley 32, and there is a pulley 33 on the shaft 20, the pulleys being connected by a belt 34.

In practical operation, the wheel 29 engages the'ground, and the machine is moved forwardly in the vertical position of Fig. 1, the vertical edges of a lawn or the like being out by the cooperation between the teeth I9 and 8. Motion is imparted to the teeth l9 by a train of parts including the motor 3|, the pulley 32, the belt 34, the pulley 33, the shaft 20, the crank arm 2I, the pitman 22 and the links 24 and 25.

It is to be noted that because the casing C is enlarged, as shown at 2, to receive parts of the driving mechanism, as shown in Fig. 4, and as delineated in working position in Fig. 1, there is a tendency forthe machine to tip sidewise. That tendency is offset by reason of the fact that the motor 1 is on the lower side of the handle 21, whereas the ofiset or heavier part 01' the casing C and attendant mechanism are on the upper side of the bar. The result is that the machine will travel along in a substantially vertical positlon, without the necessity of having the operator grip the handle 21 tightly. The motor 3| acts as a depending counterweight.

The machine need not be used in the vertical position shown in Fig. 1. It may be employed in a horizontal position, to cut ofi the top of a hedge. Under such circumstances, the counterbalancing efiected by the motor 3| is even more marked than when the device is used in the vertical position of Fig. 1. Moreover, when the machine works horizontally, the ground wheel 2! acts as a guide, sliding over the top of the hedge and aiding in keeping the working part of the machine in a horizontal position. The enlargement 2 of the casing also may serve as a support or guide, riding along over the top of a hedge, along with the wheel 29, each wholly or in part.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

In a trimmer adapted for vertical lawn trimming and vertical and horizontal hedge trimming, a hollow transverse head provided at one end 'with a rearwardly extended enlargement, a handle extending rearwardly from the intermediate portion of the head, a cutter mounted for 'reciprocatlon in the head, transversely of the handle, a shaft joumaled in the enlargement, means for operatively connecting the shaft with the cutter and extended into the enlargement, a motor mounted on the handle, a driving connection between the motor and the shaft, and a ground wheel mounted to rotate on the handle and extended on opposite sides of the handle: the motor, and the enlargement and parts within it, being disposed on opposite sides of the handle, to promote balance, the ground wheel being large enough to form a support and guide when slidflat over the top of the hedge, with the cutter working horizontally, and the enlargement being located close enough to the wheel to form a cooperating support and guide.

HENRY T. CLARK. 

